Thursday, July 20, 2006

(ST. JOSEPH) U.S. Senators Kit Bond (R-Mo.) and Jim Talent (R-Mo.) today announced $1,384,000 in federal funds for key transportation projects in St. Joseph. Talent and Bond’s request was included in the Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007.

“Increased transportation infrastructure funding is vital to Northwest Missouri,” said Sen. Talent. “The money it takes to widen lanes, straighten curves, broaden shoulders and build new roads and bridges is a small price to pay for economic growth and saving lives. Getting this funding approved in committee was a critical step and I will continue pushing for it when the bill comes to the floor of the Senate.”

“These important projects will help create the environment for job growth, drawing new businesses and opportunities to St. Joseph, as well as provide the citizens in this community public transportation services,” said Senator Kit Bond, chairman of the Senate Transportation-Treasury-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee. “I will continue to use my position on the Appropriations Committee and as Missouri’s senior Senator to send federal dollars back to the state to fund local priorities.”

The Senators secured $1 million for the St. Joseph Uptown Revitalization Project. The funds will be used to construct new sidewalks and curbs and purchase pedestrian lighting, planters and benches for the area surrounding a vacated hospital building in downtown St. Joseph. The community plans to convert the old hospital property in single-family homes. The project is expected to spur revitalization of the area, which is in need of economic growth. The City has pledged to match $780,000 to complete the development.

Bond and Talent secured $84,000 to improve the current mass transit fleet in the City of St. Joseph. The funds will also be used for maintenance and security equipment. The Senators also secured $350,000 for the Rosecrans Memorial Airport to purchase additional runway maintenance equipment.

The Senator’s funding requests passed the Senate Appropriations Committee and now must be passed by the full U.S. Senate, then be reconciled with the House of Representatives’ bill before being signed into law.

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